Torrance courtroom shuffle

The retirement Friday of Torrance Superior Court Judge Bob Hight triggered some movement in the Torrance Courthouse. See if you can follow along here:

Judge Hight sat in Dept. D. on the 3rd Floor.

Dept. D, along with it's caseload, are traveling to Judge Michael Vicencia on the 5th Floor, to take over what was Dept. 1.

The old D will now become Dept. 1, where Judge Laura Ellison, who has handled preliminary hearings in Div. 3 for many years, will preside over limited jurisdiction (small civil) cases.

Judge Michael Guzman will leave his Dept. 2 bench to sit in Div. 3, and hear the prelims.

Retired Judge Francis Hourigan will return to the court on assignment in Dept. 2 to handle Guzman's previous assignment of misdemeanor criminal matters originating from Hermosa Beach, Lawndale, Lomita, Lennox and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.